I just finished watching, “Life According to Sam.” This documentary follows a young man living with progeria, and his family. Both of his parents are physicians, and his mother has made it her life’s calling to find a cure for the disease, which causes rapid aging in children. Despite the horrific nature of progeria, there is more beauty in this film than I can convey here.

In this series, we have been introduced to this heavy topic. We have covered how to support ourselves, and our children, while we face psychiatric challenges. And now, in conclusion, I would like to address the following:

What I blame bipolar for as a parent:

Nothing.

Being a parent was very much my choice, and I took on that responsibility without any caveats. Being bipolar wasn’t my choice, but it doesn’t make my children’s needs any different. Clearly, being a parent...

Now we have covered how to support ourselves in parenthood in the previous article. But how can we support our children directly, while facing our own mental health challenges? Here are some of the tactics that have really worked for me thus far. I am certain there is much I can still learn, without question, and I hope this list grows over time as I do.

When I was initially diagnosed, this is how I saw the situation, and I was petrified:

Parenthood + Bipolar = Me Being A Lousy Parent

As if the challenge of raising human beings wasn’t enough, I also had to face my own shortcomings, and I was pale at the thought of the damage I could bestow upon my most precious gifts, if I didn’t take control of...

I’ve been gnawing on how to approach this for quite sometime, because I fear the possible repercussions of being an “out-there” parent with a diagnosed psychiatric disorder. Will I be seen as an unfit...

I’ve spent the first day of 2014, in part, reflecting on the past 365 days - all the opportunities, the challenges, the heartaches, and the joys. It was truly a blood, sweat, and tears kind of year. There were great rewards ultimately, but this year also forced some personal growth that was simply painful and all consuming. Still, I am grateful to have endured it. Through it all, I held onto...

As I make connections with others in the bipolar community, I am consistently gob-smacked by the number of “controversial” treatment options available. This seems to apply to nearly every course of action that is considered common practice.

Some may declare a specific psychotropic medication to be the holy grail of treatment. Yet simultaneously, others will malign the product as a soul-sucking compound designed to lobotomize the user. What information can you really...

Bipolar is not well defined with regards to causation, despite decades of research. The current theories revolve around the complex interplay between genetic expression, environmental triggers, and biological neuro-transmission. If a holistic approach to healing the patterns of the mind (and how those emotions affect the body) is utilized, it is my opinion that you cannot deny the existence of biological elements at play. It is, however, only a piece of a complicated puzzle.

Establishing appropriate boundaries is a crucial aspect of living a functional existence. For me, as an activist, hoping to educate and assist people affected by bipolar, boundaries are critical in order to adhere to my mission.

I don’t really have any boundaries established at the moment, however. I’m actually quite pathetic at it.

It has been conveyed to me recently, that I have never developed this skill properly, and I concur with the assessment. When approaching this subject,...

I have a deep interest in discussing treatment options and lifestyle choices aimed at minimizing the affects that bipolar has with regards to my life, and the lives of others. I have collected mountains of disorganized notes, on a variety of topics, including an...